1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for holding and making contact with radio telephone.
Such apparatuses are used in vehicles in order for a radio telephone to be retained securely and to be connected electrically to components installed in the vehicle, for example hands-free talking facility, antenna and power supply.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The prior art discloses an apparatus in which the holder has a slide which is spring-prestressed in the direction of the contact-making unit. For insertion purposes, the radio telephone is positioned obliquely against the slide by way of the region which is directed away from the interface of the radio telephone. The slide is then pushed back counter to the spring force of the slide and the radio telephone is pivoted into the accommodating region of the holder. As soon as the user lets go of the radio telephone, the latter is pushed by the slide in the direction of the contact-making unit and coupling takes place between the radio-telephone interface and contact-making unit.
In a further apparatus known from the prior art, a slide is held back by a spring, with the result that the radio telephone can first of all be inserted into the shell of the holder. Contact is made between the interface and the contact-making unit by the radio telephone being pushed onto the contact-making unit with the aid of the slide, which latches in the operating position.
As far as careful contact being made between the sensitive interface of the radio telephone and the likewise sensitive contact-making unit provided on the holder, the known holders are in need of improvement. This is because, in the case of the known holders, it
is not ensured that contact is only made when the radio telephone is aligned with the holder and/or the contact-making unit such that contact is made without tilting and thus damage. Centering of the radio telephone in relation to the contact-making unit of the holder is not possible, in modern radio telephones, with the aid of a grip-over slide since the entire top side of the radio telephone is covered by buttons and display devices, with the result that a grip-over slide would cover these over.
The object of the invention is to develop an apparatus which is intended for holding and making contact with a radio telephone and only allows contact to be made between the interface of the radio telephone and the contact-making unit arranged in the holder when these are in optimum alignment with one another.
The apparatus according to the invention for holding and making contact with a radio telephone makes provision for a contact-making unit and/or a retaining means to be kept in an open position by at least one restraining means. In this case, a switching means which is actuated by the rear part of the radio telephone upon contact with the shell of the holder releases the contact-making unit and/or the retaining means. This ensures that contact is only made when the radio telephone is located in its entirety in the shell of the holder. In this position, the interface and the contact-making unit are in alignment with one another.
In another aspect of the subject matter of the invention, the retaining means is guided linearly on the holder and is displayed by spring force from the open position, towards the contact-making unit or the tubular element, into an operating position. In this case, the radio telephone, configured as a mobile, is displaced towards contact-making unit. This advantageous since, in this embodiment, the contact-making unit is arranged in the holder as a fixed, non-moveable unit, and the connection wires leading to it are thus not subjected to constant movement.
An exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention makes provision for the retaining means to be forced in at least one displacement direction by a spring. This allows careful contact to be made.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the subject matter of the invention, of contact-making unit mounted on the holder in linearly displaceable manner and can be displaced from the open position, towards the retaining means and/or the radio telephone, into an operation position, This linear movement of the contacts towards one another ensures that said contacts are guided one inside the other without lateral loading.
If the contact-making unit is forced in at least one displacement direction by a spring, careful, automatic contact can be made.
If the restraining means is designed as a resilient push rod which projects from the shell of the holder and is arranged in the displacement region of the contact-making unit and/or of the retaining means, then it is possible, with low structural, for the contact-making unit/or retaining means to be kept in an open position, in which the radio telephone can be inserted.
If the push rod can be pushed down by the rear part of the radio telephone, the push rod can be operated by the radio telephone without the latter being adapted specifically to it.
According to an exemplary embodiment, the push rod can be drawn back by a lever which the radio telephone, configured as a mobile phone, actuates by way of the rear part when it is in the inserted state. This design makes it possible for the critical contact point between the radio telephone and the shell of the holder to be arranged at any desired location, or at a number of locations, of the shell and thus to take account of individual conditions, for example particular radio-telephone shapes.
Finally, a further refinement of the subject matter of the invention makes provision for a proximity switch to be arranged in the holder, it being possible for said switch to be actuated by the inserted radio telephone, the proximity switch activating an electromagnet which draws back the push rod. This measure makes it possible to achieve a pleasing surface configuration which conceals the function from view.